Start Strong Summit Catalyzes Regional Movement for Early Learning and Family Partnership in NKY

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Covington, KY — Last week, more than 100 education, civic, and nonprofit leaders from across Northern Kentucky gathered for the Start Strong Summit, hosted by EducateNKY at the Life Learning Center in Covington. The convening marked a powerful shift from understanding to action—focused on improving early learning, strengthening family engagement, and building community-wide ownership for student success across the River Cities.

The event opened with remarks from Greg Fischer, Chair of the EducateNKY Board of Directors, who reflected on the organization’s founding in 2023 and its mission to “listen, learn, and lead with purpose.” Fischer emphasized the urgent need for earlier, deeper partnerships with families: “Only one in two children in our region enters kindergarten ready—and in the River Cities, that number drops to one in three. We must meet families earlier, engage them fully, and equip them to champion their children’s learning from the start.”

Cheye Calvo, CEO of EducateNKY, outlined the strategic vision for the Start Strong initiative: a four-part framework centered on family-centered messaging, place-based coordination, comprehensive supports, and shared data and accountability. These pillars shaped the day’s conversations and shared learning.

Summit highlights included:

  • A regional strategy panel featuring Shannon Starkey-Taylor (Learning Grove), Melissa Sommer (Brighton Center), and Sandra Woodall (EC LEARN), who emphasized the need for a coordinated, family-centered approach to early childhood development and care.
  • A spotlight on the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, presented by Chantelle Phillips (Campbell County Public Library), which showcased the program’s role in fostering literacy, connection, and early brain development by mailing high-quality books to children every month.
  • A place-based leadership panel moderated by Tom Haggard, Vice President of EducateNKY, featuring Covington Mayor Ron Washington, Mary Kay Connolly (Read Ready Covington), and Chairwoman Ramona Malone (Newport Board of Education). Panelists shared how their communities are building locally rooted early learning ecosystems.
  • A virtual presentation by Brooke Gill of the Prichard Committee highlighted lessons from Kentucky’s Community Schools Initiative—emphasizing the critical role of school culture and family partnership in student success.
  • A Partnership in Practice panel featuring Kathy Burkhardt (Learning Grove), Marshelle Watkins-Blackwell (Newport Independent Schools), and Tracy Gentrup-Ruebusch (Dayton Independent Schools) brought voices from the field to center stage. Panelists offered powerful, practical examples of how authentic family engagement—rooted in empathy, flexibility, and trust—can transform school culture and student outcomes.

The Summit also launched the 2025–2026 Family, Youth, and Community Partnership Grant, designed to support schools in co-developing strategies with families and youth to address concrete challenges and strengthen engagement at the local level.

“This wasn’t just a summit—it was a call to shared responsibility,” said Calvo. “Improving school readiness isn’t something schools can do alone. It will take families, cities, nonprofits, and neighbors all stepping in—together.”